Baby, You Can Cuddle Me to Death
by existinnon
Summary: Asami is jealous and discovers the most unexpected rivals in his domestic life with Akihito. (now in three mini chapters)
1. Chapter 1

**Word Count**: 2,731

**Disclaimer**: All VF characters belong to Yamane-sensei.

**Summary**: Asami is jealous and discovers the most unexpected rivals in his domestic life with Akihito.

A/N: This was originally a one-shot, but I had so much fun writing it, so now it's a three-shots. *shifty eyes* Self-beta.

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><p>Day 1<p>

After pulling an unpleasant all-nighter to clean up someone else's mess, Asami decided to return to the penthouse early that day. As a self-described workaholic, even he knew when enough was enough. He was the owner of a successful company and leader of a syndicate, not an office drone. The multiple piles of paperwork left sitting on his desk could wait. It was either that or he could shoot someone to make them go away. Kirishima was a smart man. After his declaration, the secretary had wished him a safe trip home and offered to hold the front while he was gone.

Exhausted and fatigued, he only looked forward to one thing, and that was to cuddle a certain feisty photographer for stress relief. Of course, that entailed maybe three or four rounds of sex, and if he was in the mood for it, a fifth round to tie it up, literally.

Asami strolled into the kitchen, fully expecting to see Akihito chopping away something in his usual skimpy attire: tank top, briefs; and an excessively pink, frilly apron. The apron, Akihito explained, was a birthday gift Kou had given him. Leave it to Akihito's friends to gift strange things and then getting away with it. But if he were to do it, Akihito would throw an array of colorful insults from the dictionary of obscenities and profanities his way. Most likely, multiple uses of 'perverted' and 'bastard' in the same sentence. But then again, it didn't matter much, since it gave him an excuse to punish Akihito for every insolence with leather and toys.

Finding the kitchen empty, he stalked into the living room. No Akihito either. It was two in the afternoon, where could Akihito be? He checked Akihito's bedroom, but still no photographer. Feeling slightly irritated, he whipped out his cell phone to dial the first number on the speed dial.

"Asami?" Akihito answered his phone, confusion clearly marked his voice.

"Why aren't you home?"

"What? I'm doing some grocery shopping for tonight's dinner, and why are _you_ home? Shouldn't you be working right now?"

"We can order takeout." Asami checked his watch.

"Eh? No, since I'm already here I'm going to wait for the special soy sauce sale."

"You have five minutes, Akihito," Asami hung up before Akihito could protest. Unreasonable or not, he didn't give a damn about food, and he certainly wasn't going to let some ambiguous soy sauce sale interfere with his cuddle time.

Akihito had exactly 4 minutes and 25 seconds to make it back or punishment would ensue. Either way, he'd come out the victor. The corner of his mouth curved up into a sadistic smirk. Akihito made it too easy for him sometimes.

Satisfied with his display of dominance, he ambled into the master bedroom and dropped off his cell phone on the night stand. He was about to undress for a quick shower when his eyes caught the dark mass peeking from underneath the duvet cover. He eyed it suspiciously before reaching out to grab it.

A teddy bear.

And what an astonishing find it was…in his penthouse...and on his bed. He stared at the furry object in his hand, feeling slightly puzzled, and at the same time, fascinated by its unusual features. The pitch black fur, slightly raised thin and gray eyebrows-oh yes...eyebrows-, amber colored half orbs for eyes, gray nose, a mouth that looked more like a devious smirk, and the best of all, the gray tie around its neck. He narrowed his eyes. The peculiar resemblance to someone he knew was too much. It felt rather _personal._

As he continued to ponder about the bear's mysterious origin, the sound of the penthouse's door opening pulled him out of his reverie. And with a flick of his wrist, he nonchalantly tossed the innocuous object back onto the bed. It must have been another one of Akihito's friends' ridiculous gifts, he convinced himself. He'd deal with it later.

After leaving the master bedroom, he found Akihito still lingering near the penthouse's door, gasping and struggling for air. Akihito had one arm propped against the wall for support while the other was held on to two bags of groceries. Akihito's ears, face, and neck blushed pink and red like he'd just ran a marathon.

"What-" Akihito took a deep breath, "-happened?"

Asami wore his usual teasing smirk. Akihito must have rushed back thinking something was urgent. How cute.

"Nothing," Asami answered with indifference while he closed the distance between them.

Akihito furrowed his brows in disbelief. "What?!"

The photographer was about to go off into one of his usual tirades when Asami scooped him up in his arms and then started to carry him toward the master bedroom. The grocery bags slipped from Akihito's grasp and slowly spilled their contents on the wooden floor, leaving a peculiar trail of potatoes, onions, and packages of curry powder.

"Oi! You rushed me home just for a quickie? And I was worried over nothing. I should have known. Let me go, you perverted bastard!"

"Akihito, you still haven't learned after all this time. You are mine and I get to have what's mine...whenever."

Ignoring the cussing and screaming bundle over his shoulder, Asami closed the master bedroom door in triumph. They ended up skipping dinner that day…just like any other day.

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><p>That Night<p>

Asami woke up to the sounds of giggling noises and someone talking in the middle of the night. Judging from the lack of warmth beside him, he realized that that Akihito wasn't snuggling next to him like usual. Mind still weary with sleep, he opened his eyes to find Akihito sleeping on the far side of the bed, arms hugging the black teddy bear he had seen earlier. Akihito held it like it was his most precious companion and prized treasure in his world of dreams.

Normally, Asami wouldn't let such trivial things bother him, but seeing Akihito's preference for something else other than him irked his pride a little, and he wasn't about to lose to some furry object stuffed with cotton.

He curiously hovered over the photographer to listen to Akihito's rambling in his half-asleep state. Akihito continued to mumble something incoherent for a while before whispering the name _"Ryu"_. As though to provoke him further, Akhito hugged the bear tighter and smiled affectionately. Feeling impatient, he grabbed the offending object and jerked it out of Akihito's embrace. Akihito stirred a little from the loss, but didn't wake.

Feeling victorious, Asami walked out of the bedroom with the black teddy bear. He could've been a master thief in his previous life, Asami mused. It wasn't until he was in the penthouse's private office that he noticed the little tag attached to the bear's bottom.

It read. _'Ryu'_

So his Akihito had been unfaithful. Asami wasn't pleased.

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><p>Day 2 - The Next Night<p>

Asami returned to the penthouse around half past 3 in the morning to find Akihito cuddling yet another furry object. Despite feeling like he was some kind of disgraceful teddy bear thief, he reluctantly took the bear from the sleeping photographer and swiftly stowed it away under the bed. Akihito jerked awake, confused at the sudden movement. So Asami coolly played it off as he sat on the bed pretending that nothing happened.

"Asami? What time is it?" Akihito asked, voice still tired from slumber.

"Go back to sleep, Akihito." Asami stroked his hair. Akihito didn't notice that his prize was gone.

After a few seconds, Akihito was fast asleep again, and Asami reached under the bed for his new conquest. After leaving the bedroom he studied the bear with mild irritation because it was still warm with Akihito's heat. Compared to the one from yesterday, this bear was slightly different. The dark brown fur, shiny gold tie, and a white stick sewn directly to the right paw were some changes. He looked at the stick again and realized that it looked like a cigarette. His eyebrow unconsciously raised at the discovery.

This time, the bear's tag read: _'Ryuichi'_.

So Ryu had a friend.

* * *

><p>Day 3<p>

Asami sighed as he took in the scene before him. Akihito was sleeping on the couch, cuddling yet another damn bear. A tan colored one this time, except the tie was a royal dark purple. But the oddest thing was that it was fully dressed in a mini business suit.

Asami leaned over to nuzzle the area behind one Akihito's ear, and the photographer shifted. Once Akihito's grasp on the bear loosened enough, Asami took the opportunity to yank it out of his embrace. Straightening himself up again, Asami checked the tag out of curiosity. Or at least, that was what he told himself.

It read: _'Asami'_

Huh. Asami couldn't help but wondered if Akihito was doing all of this on purpose.

He bent over the sleeping man again.

"You only need me, Akihito. All you have to do is ask," Asami whispered into the other's ears.

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><p>Day 4<p>

On the fourth day, Asami was sure Akihito had ran out of teddy bears, but lo and behold, he walked into the kitchen to find one sitting on the counter. The white fur and red tie stuck out like a sore thumb against the dark marble of the kitchen counter. Also, it was perfectly angled to face the entrance as if left there on purpose to spite him. Trap or challenge, Asami didn't care. He strolled over to his target and flipped the bear upside down, albeit roughly, to read the label. Really, he needed to stop letting this get to him.

The label read: _'Bastard'_

"I knew it!" a familiar voice yelled out from behind him. "You were the one who stole my teddy bears, weren't you?"

Unfazed, Asami turned to face his young accuser with an unreadable expression. "I don't know what you're talking about, Akihito."

"Don't lie to me, Asami! I caught you red-handed. If you didn't steal them, why did you go for the teddy bear instead of the alcohol? You always go for the alcohol before anything else."

Asami turned around to check what Akihito was referring to. Surely enough, a few feet away from the bear was a bottle of whiskey. He didn't even notice it was there. Becoming more amused, Asami shifted his attention back to Akihito again.

His Akihito wasn't completely clueless after all.

"You shouldn't leave things out carelessly. They're bound to be lost," Asami said in his usual condescending tone.

Akihito's cheeks were now flushed a crimson red from indignant anger. "What?-" Akihito sputtered. "You! Stop denying it!"

But Asami only ignored Akihito's outburst and began to approach him like a beast closing in on its prey.

Akihito backed away, "Dammit, give me back my bears, you jerk!"

And in one swoop, Akihito found himself upside down and yelling into Asami's lower back again.

"Oi, thief bastard, what are you doing? Let me down!"

A hard slap on a butt cheek caused Akihito to yelp out in surprise.

"Manners, Akihito." Again, Asami ignored the irate man over his shoulder and headed straight for the master bedroom. Like a never-ending ritual of their strange relationship, he proceeded to fuck Akihito into the morning after that.

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><p>Day 5<p>

By the time Asami opened his eyes again, it was already noon. Akihito's head rested comfortably on his shoulder, and face half buried in his neck. The warm presence in his embrace felt right again. He leaned in closer to kiss the locks of hair.

Akihito stirred awake. "Mmmm, Asami."

"Don't you prefer the real thing, Akihito?" Asami said in his low, husky voice.

"So you did steal my bears...bastard," Akihito whispered back, but the anger from yesterday was gone.

Asami chuckled. "Why did you get them in the first place?" His fingers gently traved the small of Akihito's back.

"One of Takato's friends just opened a bear workshop recently. I took some photos for their store's promotional ads, so they let me make a custom bear for free and well-"

"Well?"

"I ended up making several."

Asami wanted to ask the reason for the variations, but kept quiet, and Akihito seemed to sense his reluctance.

"You're probably wondering why I named them all after you."

"I didn't think you'd miss me so much, Akihito," Asami teased.

"Bastard, you didn't come home for a week, and then came back and stole my teddies."

"If you ask me, I might consider coming back more often."

Akihito stayed quiet for a moment, deliberating over the offer. A few seconds later, he lifted his head to meet Asami's gaze. "Would you?"

Akihito's eyes searched for something in Asami's, eyes only filled with eager sincerity.

"Would you come if I asked you to?"

Instead of answering, Asami gently guided Akihito's chin toward him and claimed the other's mouth for a deep kiss. The warm lips opened up to him without resistance. He savored every bit of the younger man and made sure the kiss lasted, communicating his answer without the need for words.

* * *

><p>2 Hours Later<p>

"So why the difference in colors and names?" Asami asked nonchalantly while Akihito was distracted with his brunch.

"Huh? Oh… I only made three bears in the beginning, but the last one was after I suspected you stole them," Akihito replied while chomping on a toast.

"I don't steal, Akihito. I only removed things in my way."

"Yes, and the great Asami Ryuichi can be jealous with himself," Akihito said sarcastically.

Asami narrowed his eyes as he sipped the whiskey from his glass tumbler. After a while, Akihito sighed, resigning to the fact that Asami would probably pester him to death if he didn't tell the truth. If not with words, then a different method and more perverted.

"The first one I made was Asami-chan, but it didn't feel right. It felt too...distant," Akihito paused thoughtfully, "like the first time I met you."

Asami held back the urge to smirk because he wanted to know the rest of the story.

"So I made Ryuichi-chan while thinking of your bad habits, likes, and dislikes. You know...the more you get to know someone."

"But it still didn't feel right."

"Yes...when I made Ryu-chan, everything finally made sense."

Asami quirked an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Ryu-chan is so mysterious. It's hard to find him in the dark when I want to cuddle him, but I know he's there," Akihito smiled. "When he's finally in my embrace, he's just as warm and soft as the others. Honestly, I like them all because each one represents a different part of you."

It was then that Asami felt the twinge of guilt for sending Ryu away to a certain person.

"Hey, Asami, can I have my bears back?"

"No, but let's go to that shop you talked about."

"What? Why? I don't need anymore-" Akihito's sentence was cut off when Asami suddenly claimed his mouth again for another deep kiss.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile…<p>

Fei Long stared at the unassuming package in his hands with a perfectly bewildered expression. He didn't think Akihito would give him anything after what he had put the younger man through. He checked the label once more to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

It clearly stated _'Sender: Takaba _Akihito' with an address from Japan. Right under the address was a small note. _'For the lonely nights.'_

Slightly elated by the thought that perhaps Akihito had forgiven him, Fei Long opened the package. However, after studying its content, his expression swiftly changed from happy, to confusion, and then comprehension. Closing the box unceremoniously, he assumed his crime lord persona again.

"Yoh," he commanded to the dark-haired man who was quietly watching him. "Burn it, record everything, and then send both the recording and whatever remains back to Asami."

Yoh lifted an eyebrow at his boss' strange request, but decided to keep his comment to himself. He diligently took the package without question, ready to carry out the task, and headed for the door. He was halfway through it when Fei added another strange order.

"Oh and find me a build-a-bear workshop. I want to give someone a _special_ present," Feilong said, his voice not hiding the malice. Yoh suddenly had the feeling that today would be a long day.

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><p>AN: (my note: v3)


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: All VF characters belong to Yamane-sensei.

Chapter Summary: Akihito finds something special to replace his missing bears.

A/N: The first oneshot didn't have enough fluff? Challenge accepted. XD.

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><p>I went back and did a full polish on the first chapter after finishing this. :) I had some ideas for a fitting sequel for a while now, but didn't have time to write. Then inspiration took over, so here we are again. We need more fluff, cute bunnies, and rainbows in the world of VF anyway. (Plus, this is my excuse as a break from my other long fic. -_-) Oh, and I'm sticking to my cheesy titles. XD<p>

Note: This chapter CAN be read by itself, but you should read the previous one first. The events are in order.

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><p>Part 2 of 3: Baby, Cuddling is My Forte<p>

Two weeks…two agonizing weeks of day-to-day drudging through his so called myriad of freelancing jobs and Akihito could have sworn that he was, at some point, tempted to borrow one of Asami's gun and shoot someone. Beside the unusual night gigs he had been receiving lately, his day gigs were just as painful to endure.

How the hell could someone be so picky over an outfit for just two shots in a photo spread, especially for some obscure magazine he had never even heard of before, was beyond him. And to add to his annoyance, the model acted like she was ready every time, but changed her mind at the last minute. The only thing that kept him going was by telling himself that she was probably sent by some secret elite society of photographers to gauge his endurance as a professional photographer. And as absurd as that might have sounded, he was secretly hoping it was true, oftentimes, daydreaming he would be treated as a VIP member at some hotel resort, enjoying a variety of delectable desserts.

But reality had always been a mundane affair. He would never get such an invitation, so he dropped by the store on his way back and picked up two tubs of red bean and pumpkin flavored ice cream along with a few groceries.

Making his way into the kitchen, he checked his cell phone for any missed calls. Nothing. Strange. Too strange. Asami would always check up on him from time to time, often irrationally demanding cuddle time, but the man had been rather…subdued lately, especially after stealing all his teddy bears. Speaking of which, the bastard hadn't returned them. He investigated Asami's private office in the penthouse once, but instead of bears, he found more leather toys and what looked like Asami's secret stash of peculiar looking vibrators, which would explain the endless streak of new vibrators Asami was always testing on him, like he was some kind of guinea pig. And to his horror, Asami somehow found out about his little raid and tried at least half of said stash on him that day.

Akihito shuddered at the memory. He had learned his lesson to not to enter Asami's office without permission. Never again.

Opening the fridge, he quickly scanned the shelves for food. Nothing. Since his busy schedule had denied him any time to cook for Asami, he couldn't help but feel guilty over it. Though he often wondered if Asami could just survive on air and alcohol alone. Laughing and shaking his head at the silly thought, he shoved one of the ice cream tubs into the freezer. Then headed for his bedroom to drop off his camera equipment before a good long soak in the tub.

However, upon reaching the bedroom door, he immediately froze a few inches from it. The door was closed. He always left it open whenever he wasn't home. Did Asami come back earlier?

He opened it cautiously while hugging his camera bag in a defensive stance, in case someone was stupid enough to invade Asami's penthouse. To his surprise, the light wasn't on, but out of the corner of his eye he spotted a large figure of something on his bed cloaked in darkness. He reached for the light switch, though he didn't realize at the time that he was about to make the most shocking discovery in his life with Asami.

His camera bag dropped unceremoniously on the floor with a thud as he gaped at the object.

There it was, sitting on his bed was a giant larger than life-size version of Ryu-chan. Except for the black top hat on its furry head, which he thought was rather funny, every detail was an exact replica of the little version. The pitch black fur, gray eyebrows, amber eyes, as well as the infamous smirk, and last but not least, the giant gray silk tie.

His initial reaction was surprise, but surprise would be an understatement. Then confusion took over as he wracked his brain, trying to make sense of the bear's origin. But realization and acceptance soon followed, and he smiled. The exhaustion, the frustration, and the irritation from the last two weeks were completely forgotten.

Now, he understood why Asami made him come back to the bear workshop a few weeks ago. They came home empty handed, but while they were there, Asami had disappeared for at least forty minutes. During that time, Kirishima and Suoh had casually chatted with him over random things: the sky, the moon, the birds, the bees, the weather and the sea, his favorite color, and even his preference of cologne. It was a rather strange conversation. They also tried to teach him English, although Kirishima laughed at his broken attempt. He was suspicious at some point, but Suoh started asking about favorite desserts and time just flew by after that. Now that he thought about it, it was definitely a diversion tactic to get his mind off of Asami's whereabouts.

He approached Big Ryu, which he just named two seconds ago. The bear, though sitting, was well above his height, only one foot away from touching the ceiling, and he suddenly wondered how Asami managed to get the bear into his room in the first place.

First, he stood on his toes to reach the bear's gray nose. To his surprise, it didn't have a rigid interior like he had expected, but softer, as if it was stuffed with cotton, and the exterior had a velvety texture. Its size was at least six times the size of his hand.

Next, he touched the bear's mouth, studying it closely and letting his fingers glide across every line of silk that formed the infamous smirk. He remembered sewing the detail onto little Ryu while thinking of Asami, and the assistant who worked at the bear shop gave him a weird look for it. It must have taken a ridiculous amount of silk now that he thought about it.

Finally, using one hand to hold the silk tie, his other hand reached under to rub the bear's stomach, amazed with how ridiculously soft the fur was. Sure, it was a replica of little Ryu, but the materials used were nothing but high quality and probably exceedingly expensive too.

Unable to hold back anymore, he jumped onto the bed and gave Big Ryu the biggest hug his tiny arms could handle. Just like a kid feeling euphoric over a discovery of a lifetime.

Closing his eyes, he gave it a tight squeeze and stayed like that for a while, unwilling to let go of its comfort. At least ten minutes passed before he finally stepped back to look at Big Ryu again, a contented grin decorated his face.

Heaving a satisfied sigh, he turned his attention to the camera bag on the floor again, but his eyes caught a glimpse of something next to the keyboard on his desk. He walked over to it curiously. It was a handwritten note from Asami.

_'__Do you like what you see? Happy Birthday, Akihito.' _

The note itself was simple, but each word conveyed an indescribable warmth that he couldn't explain. Truly, it was the best birthday gift ever.

* * *

><p>Asami came home to a rather quiet penthouse later that night, but he knew Akihito should already be home. He strolled into the kitchen to see several plates of food laid out on the tabletop counter. His lips curved up into a smirk. Akihito must have been in a good mood today.<p>

He lifted the plastic wrap off one of the plates and forked a piece of omelet from it. Still warm. Akihito didn't realize it, but he knew that the other sometimes waited longer to cook, timing it with the hour he would usually come home. Akihito pretended that he didn't care in front of him, but his actions always spoke otherwise.

With one hand undoing his tie, he took his time walking toward the master bedroom. It was a long day at work, but lately, he often looked forward to coming back to the penthouse whenever he knew Akihito was around. Even more so after Akihito asked whether he would come back if Akihito had asked him to.

Halfway into the master bedroom, he stopped to debate over something in his head. Suddenly feeling curious about the photographer, he walked over to Akihito's bedroom instead. The sight that greeted him was beyond his expectation. Within the bear's embrace laid a soundly sleeping Akihito, seemingly lost in the realm of dreams. Akihito's laptop was right next to him and headphones, still plugged into an mp3 player, dangled carelessly over the side of the bed.

Asami leaned against the door frame, arms folded in front of him, and head cocked slightly to one side. Relishing the rare image, he had a feeling this wouldn't be the first time he'd witness this side of Akihito.

All the headaches he had endured with getting people to make the bear and figuring out the logistics of moving it into Akihito's room after it was made were all worth it. His initial motivation was spurred by guilt for sending Ryu-chan away, but he could now understand why Akihito had cherished his bears so much.

He continued to ingrain the endearing image into his memory for a little longer before walking over to the sleeping figure. Akihito's mop of blonde hair peeked out from underneath a furry arm, which made him chuckle for a bit. It was really too adorable.

Lifting the bear's arm, he bent over to place a kiss on the slightly damped forehead before whispering in the other's ear, "I'm glad you liked it, Akihito."

Just for tonight, he would let Akihito enjoy his moment. And with that, Asami switched off the light and returned to the master bedroom.

Little did he know that another surprise was waiting for him, because upon nearing the bed, he found a post-it note placed on his pillow. _'Thank you.'_

Asami could only smile as he read the two words over and over again. After all, it was the first gift that Akihito had accepted so wholeheartedly from him.

* * *

><p>AN:

- So is that enough fluff? XD

- I didn't expect anyone to be following/subscribing to the original oneshot, so kudos to those for trusting their hunch that I might continue it LOL. I will treasure your 98 kudos and 39 favorites, as well as all the comments/reviews. Thank you for showing my randomly inspired fic so much love. This expansion is for you.

*inserts Doge memes* Such wow. Much thanks. So amaze.

Note: I will try and post chapter three by the end of this week, so please bear with me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Contains: **Slice-of-Life, fluff, humor, silliness, language, maybe some OOC

**Warnings**: none

**Word Count**: 2,562

**Disclaimer**: All VF characters belong to Yamane-sensei.

**Chapter Summary**: What do you get when you have two vindictive crime lords, a spiteful secretary, and cute teddy bears? A very lucky photographer.

A/N: Thanks for the kudos! XD Anyway, here be third chapter (also the final one) with a little bit more humor than the previous and a little bit longer. Most people wanted to know what Fei sent to Asami. Wish granted.

* Warning: Silliness and Fluff

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><p>Teddy Bear Series [33] - Baby, Save the Last Cuddle for Me (Final)

"Kirishima, care to explain?" Asami asked as he stood in the doorway of his office. Wearing his usual mask of indifference, he analyzed the state of his office, or what it used to be, and what could've transpired in the span of just two hours while he was in a meeting with clients.

The normally pristine office was somehow transformed into a den of teddy bears, and not just normal ones either. Teddy bears of all sizes, colors, shapes, and types occupied every nook and cranny of the large space. From inside his file cabinets to the space under the low table, to the area under his desk, and even behind the potted plants in the corners. Ridiculous would've been an appropriate word, but he wouldn't let the perpetrator of this practical joke get the satisfaction.

Turning to face his assistant, who had remained oddly quiet for some reason, he quirked an inquisitive eyebrow.

"I think it's better if you look at the package I left on your desk, Asami-sama."

Asami shot his assistant a suspicious glare. "And you can't tell me yourself. Why?"

The secretary cleared his throat. He wasn't scared of his boss, not at the moment, well, maybe a little, but he had to make it clear. "The package will-"

"You don't have to say it twice, Kirishima," Asami cut off the secretary, feeling slightly irritated at the man's reluctance. He returned his gaze to the room to search for the package Kirishima was so adamant about, and spotted a lone, medium brown box sitting right in the center of his desk. Ironically, not a single bear was next to it, despite everywhere else being occupied by the furry objects. Such was Kirishima's unique sense of humor, which made him wonder if he had given the man enough vacation days.

Asami trekked the short distance between the doorway and his desk, which should've been an easy task, but his expectation quickly diminished only after four steps into the room. In between, he had to nudge a bear or two, sometimes a nest of bear families, out of the way with the tip of his expensive Italian dress shoes. As the owner of said office, it was one thing to feel like a guest intruding on a bizarre teddy bear family reunion, but another to feel like he was a giant stepping on their friends and relatives.

Ignoring the thought, he took another four steps, but stopped abruptly when he stepped on something squeaky. He bent over to pick up object and a snort could be heard from behind him.

Asami turned to face his assistant again. "Do you think it's funny, Kirishima?" he said, voice still preserving a controlled calm.

"No, sir. Do you want me to help you clear the way?"

Asami narrowed his eyes at the subtle smugness in that offer. "You know that trip to Moscow I have planned in a couple of weeks," the corner of his lips curved into a sadistic grin, "I'm thinking of opening a branch there, so you could manage the place in my stead."

The secretary's eyes widened in shock. Asami knew the man hated going out of the country for business deals and would rather hold the fort down in Japan whenever he was away, let alone live and work in another country.

Satisfied with Kirishima's reaction, Asami returned his attention back to the squeaky object. It was another bear, but one with bright bubblegum pink fur and dressed in a mini, traditional Chinese changshan with a dragon design. He had an inkling of who could've been behind all of this, but this bear was the final confirmation to his suspicions. _Fei Long_.

Looking around the room once more, he realized that a lot of its friends were dressed in changshan, but with different designs. Which made him wonder if the Chinese crime lord had bought a whole factory of teddy bears just to get back at him.

When Asami finally reached his desk, he was suddenly in no hurry to open the package, and settled in the leather chair instead.

"What exactly did Fei Long bribe you with that you had to carry out his wish, Kirishima? The last time I checked, you were still working for me," Asami asked impassively, though his voice was laced with sarcasm.

The secretary bowed. "Forgive me, Asami-sama, but it wasn't a bribe. It was more of a threat. I was asked to spread the bear out in your office and then take a picture for proof. In return, he wouldn't mess with our smuggling route into Hong Kong."

"So you took it upon yourself to settle the deal without informing me. How bold of you."

"I didn't want to let such a trivial thing bother you, sir," Kirishima calmly replied, although he knew he was treading on dangerous grounds.

Asami eyed his assistant, debating on whether to let the man have his little vindictive moment for what he had been through for the last two weeks. He was well aware of the burden of his irrational demands to get Takaba's birthday present done correctly.

"It's too bad...to think I was going to reward you for your effort. Akihito liked his present," Asami said with glint of amusement in his eyes.

But before the secretary could respond, Asami reached for the package to read the label. The sender, as he had suspected, was Fei Long. Curious, he opened it to find Ryu-chan sitting inside along with two handwritten notes. The first note was written in Chinese characters, which must have been from Fei himself, judging from the elegant and graceful strokes.

_How considerate of you to send me a gift._

_I thought I should return the favor._

_My one lonely night is nothing compares to the number of perversions you hold dear. _

_But I'm afraid I could only send a third of the actual number..._

Asami looked up from the note to the rest of his office. Surely, there was at least a thousand bears. He smirked. It was very like Fei Long to insult him using such an elaborate show of extravagance, but the Chinese dragon wouldn't react this way if he knew Akihito was the bear's original creator. Although he was tempted to call Fei Long and reveal the truth, he'd rather keep the knowledge that Akihito had made the bears in his image to himself.

Asami picked up the second note, this one was written in Japanese.

_Boss, I couldn't burn it. It reminded me too much of you._

_- Yoh_

This time, Asami raised an eyebrow in surprise. Yoh, his ever loyal subordinate, had spared Ryu-chan of its fate simply because the bear somehow resembled him. Akihito should be proud that his bear could sway the normally stoic Yoh. The thought was too amusing; a deep chuckle escaped him, which caused the secretary to stiffen at his sudden change in mood. Their eyes met for a moment, but the secretary's only displayed confusion.

"What? You thought I would be upset?" Asami asked, dropping the note on the desk.

The secretary averted his gaze. Guilty.

Asami held back the urge to laugh. He picked up Ryu-chan and stood up. "Tell Suoh to get the car ready. I'll work from home today."

The secretary bowed before taking out his phone to carry out his order, but Asami didn't miss the man's relieved expression. "What do you want me to do with the bears, Asami-sama?"

Asami was in a good mood, not only because of yesterday, but because Ryu-chan was unharmed and returned to him safely, so he decided to let the man's impudent behavior go. But not without a warning, of course.

"Keep them, but lose one and I'll deduct your salary."

* * *

><p>Akihito jerked awake to the sound of his cell phone ringing. Still groggy from sleep, he picked it. The call was just another strange job offer from his boss, so he politely refused it, and attempted to curl back into Big Ryu's arms. After a few minutes of failing to sleep again, he sat up and stared blankly at the giant teddy bear, not understanding what he was looking at for a second or two, but quickly smiled when he remembered that it was Asami's gift.<p>

Looking around, he realized that he was still in his bedroom and not the master bedroom. Also, he was still in t-shirt and briefs. Why wasn't he naked? It confused him. Because no matter where he slept, he'd always somehow end up in Asami's bed, and usually after two or three rounds of mind-blowing sex. Maybe Asami pulled another all-nighter like last time, he thought to himself.

Jumping off the bed, he decided to cook something just in case Asami return early like last time. He walked out of the bedroom. The living room's light was on, so he took checked it out of curiosity. To his surprise, Asami was sitting on the sofa, still wearing his dress shirt with the top two buttons undone and sleeves rolled up, suit pants and black socks, and the gray tie, also undone, but loosely hung around his neck.

Asami was occupied with some documents, probably work-related, and didn't seem to notice him. With a mischievous grin, he crept closer.

"I know you're there, Akihito," Asami said without taking his eyes off the documents.

_Damn._

"You're home early," Akihito tried to sound indifferent.

"I'm in a good mood today. Plus, I don't want a certain someone to go make more teddy bears because he misses me, but wouldn't admit it."

Realizing that Asami was referring to him, Akihito blushed, but held back a sarcastic remark because he was also in a good mood. He made himself comfortable on the sofa and watched Asami work quietly. Except for the sound of paper rustling, they stayed silent like that for a good five minutes.

After a while, Akihito moved closer, but Asami didn't even bother to glance at him. Growing impatient, he plopped his head a few inches from Asami's leg.

Still no response.

Feeling playful, Akihito wiggled his body closer and closer to Asami until his head was literally resting on Asami's legs, and his bright, hazel eyes peered upward at Asami.

Still holding a document in one hand, Asami looked down at Akihito with amusement in his eyes. "I'm working, Akihito."

"Not if you're home. You rarely work at home anyway."

Asami lifted an eyebrow at the cheeky remark. "I didn't know that you can be so eager for my attention when I'm at home."

"Today is a special occasion," Akihito said with a grin.

"Really? And what would that occasion be?" Asami dropped the document on a nearby table before turning back to Akihito.

"Don't play dumb. You know what I'm talking about. "

"Do I?" Asami drawled as his hand slid under Akihito's shirt to rub the soft belly with his thumb, but Akihito was too distracted to notice.

Akihito furrowed his brows, thinking over something before his confused expression changed back to a playful one. "Thank you for Big Ryu."

Amused that Akihito named the bear after its smaller counterpart, Asami teased, "I sympathize with Ryu-chan. Its master had already forgotten about him."

Akihito's eyes widened at the mention of little Ryu and sat up abruptly, his head barely missed bumping into Asami's chin, which would've have hurt a lot.

"Asami, can I have my bears back?"

"No."

"What?! Then why did you give me Big Ryu?"

"I thought you liked it. I can send it back."

Realizing he had little chance of winning the bargain, Akihito sighed in defeat. "I do, but it would be nice if I can have little Ryu to hug when I'm in your bed too."

Asami chuckled. "Don't get ahead of yourself because I don't share. Only I can cuddle you when we're together. Big Ryu is an exception for when I'm...unavailable."

"Like hell I'm going to abide by your rule. There's a reason why it's called a _gift_." Akihito made sure to enunciate the last word for emphasis.

"Oh? If that happens, I can't guarantee Big Ryu won't end up like Ryu-chan," Asami said impassively, but it was an empty threat. He had no plan to carry it out because it was a pain in the ass to get the bear into the penthouse in the first place.

However, the suggestion was stuck with Akihito because the photographer's face paled a little, as though he was imagining Big Ryu in teddy bear heaven, or in this case, hell, if he cross Asami. Nobody crosses Asami, be it man or teddy bear.

Akihito gulped. "Asami...what exactly did you do to Ryu-chan?"

"That is for me to know," Asami pulled Akihito closer to him and leaned in to steal a kiss.

"Wait, what about my birthday?"

"We can celebrate later."

"Eh? But-" Akihito's voice was muffled completely by Asami's mouth on his mouth. He struggled and tried to push Asami away, but eventually relented. The unusual gentleness Asami was showing him was rare, and he wanted to relish every moment of it.

* * *

><p>Three hours later...<p>

Naked, spent, and satiated, Akihito opened his eyes to see that he was still on the sofa. Asami sat next to him wearing a bathrobe and reading the documents from before. He attempted to sit up, but decided against it when the muscles in his back stiffened at the movement. He relaxed again, not caring if his stomach was growling in protest. They didn't do things normal couples would do, but he didn't mind this at all. Asami, despite how busy he was, had made time for him in his own way. And his heart warmed at the thought.

A large hand gently ruffled his hair, and he closed his eyes.

After a while, he found the courage to ask the question he had been meaning to ask. "Asami, would you be interested in an Aki-chan?" the words slipped off his tongue, which felt rather odd considering that he was referring to himself. He had wondered why Asami didn't demand for a bear in his image to match Ryu-chan, and he couldn't bring himself to make one without feeling like he was jumping to conclusions about things. From Asami's point of view, it might have seemed like an insignificant gesture, but held a deeper meaning for him.

"No," Asami answered in an indifferent tone of voice.

Akihito stayed silent.

"Why? Are you disappointed?"

"No, I'm just curious." It was a lie. Asami's nonchalant attitude made his heart ache no matter how much he wanted to deny it. Only Asami could evoke such a rapid change in his emotions with his ambiguous actions and words.

"Akihito," Asami waited until Akihito opened his eyes to look at him, "I don't need an Aki-chan." Asami bent over to kiss his forehead. "I already have you."

Akihito blushed a crimson red.

"Also...why would I want to make a mini you when I can't do things to it?"

Akihito snickered. "Perverted bastard."

"I expect an equally special gift from you in the future."

"Sure, I'll get a larger than life-sized cardboard printout of you to match your ego."

Deciding he was done playing nice for the day, Asami lifted Akihito off the couch and carried him into the master bedroom.

The End

* * *

><p>AN: (my note: v1)

- When crime lords fight, their subordinates suffer. Moral of story.

- I couldn't bear with the thought that Ryu-chan (with all of Aki's efforts in making him) burnt to a crisp, so I made a little tweak. However, Fei's idea to send a million teddy bears to flood Asami's office was what I had in mind when I wrote the first chapter.

- The pink bear in changshan is a nod to an inside joke from another writer (her vision of Fei). If you're said writer and reading this, that is my little tribute to you. XD

Someone mentioned I should expand this into 10 chapters, but I think it's better left as a three mini-oneshot fic. Again, thank you for showing this fic your love. :D

- Let me know what you think! Thanks


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